“Making that first step effortless is where access begins,” said Afra Al Suwaidi, CEO of Dubai Central Securities Depository, as EFG Hermes introduced digital onboarding for Dubai Financial Market investors.
EFG Hermes UAE LLC, which is regulated by the UAE Capital Market Authority, has launched a fully digital DFM onboarding service through its EFG Hermes ONE trading and investment app. Using only a smartphone, investors can now register for a DFM investor number (NIN) and set up a trading account. The service was announced on September 24.
The process is entirely paperless and can be completed without visiting an office. Once registered, investors can trade securities listed on the Dubai Financial Market. EFG Hermes said the aim is to make it easier for investors across the region to get started on the Dubai market.
Al Suwaidi said the service would make the investor journey more seamless while supporting accessibility and efficiency in the region. “We welcome EFG Hermes’ launch of digital onboarding with DFM, making the investor journey seamless and providing easy access to Dubai’s market,” she said.
The launch coincides with strong growth in DFM participation. DFM figures cited in the announcement show the exchange added 42,864 new investors in the first half of 2026. More than seven in ten of them (71.4%) were foreign nationals.
Over the same period, DFM’s total traded value rose 40.4% year on year to AED119.5 billion. Average daily traded value increased 45.1% to AED1.004 billion. Foreign investors generated 51% of total traded value, and institutional investors made up 71.2% of trading activity.
For the exchange, the service is part of a wider push to modernise. Khalifa Rabba, Chief Operating Officer of DFM, described the launch as a sign of how far the exchange’s digital systems have developed and how regulated platforms are helping bring more investors into the market. He added that letting investors register and begin trading digitally “shortens the path from decision to participation.”
The move also builds on EFG Hermes’ established position in the UAE. In the first half of 2026, the firm ranked first on DFM with a 48.52% market share and first on Nasdaq Dubai with 65.69%. Hatem Mohab, Co-Head of Digital Retail Trading Platform, said the service is part of a broader digitalisation strategy. He said the goal is to cut the time and effort needed to open an account, so more first-time investors take part in the UAE market.
As Dubai draws a growing mix of domestic, regional and international investors, digital onboarding is becoming an increasingly important first step in the investment journey.
Source: EFG Holding press release, 24 September 2026.
By Omkar Kurtkoti
